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Strategic Communications Africa Ltd. (Stratcomm Africa) has launched the fourth edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show at the Movenpick Ambassador hotel in Accra.

According to the organisers, the 2016 Ghana Garden & Flower Show,, Themed “Dream It, Discover It, Live It”, focuses on ecotourism and the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In her welcome address, Ms. Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcomm Africa, stated that the UN’s SDGs have been incorporated because of their focus on areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet as outlined in the 5 Ps, namely; People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. “We believe the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement and by extension, the Ghana Garden and Flower Show, can help in creating and sustaining the attitudes and behaviours that facilitate this new framework for global development” she indicated.

Ms. Esther Cobbah, emphasised that “ecotourism was chosen as the focus because the Show aims at drawing more attention to the income generation, health and aesthetic benefits of Ghana’s Floriculture and Horticulture as well as draw attention to the country’s natural tourism sector”.

UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Mrs. Christine Evans-Klock, who launched the 2016 Show, stated that the holistic perspective that the Garden and Flower Show has adopted “is exactly what is reflected in the ambitious sustainable development agenda 2030 adopted by the nearly 200 Heads of State at UN Headquarters last September”, she said.

The UN Resident Coordinator stated that; “the UN is supporting government, planning authorities and Ministries, practitioners at all levels of government, the private sector and communities to find ways to pursue this kind of mutually reinforcing approach for achieving the sustainable development agenda”.

Mrs. Evans-Klock therefore commended Stratcomm Africa and its partners for their approach and for taking the initiative to popularise the 5Ps related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and “seizing their transformative potential to end extreme poverty, boost economic growth and protect our planet”.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Nana Oduro Kwarteng, who chaired the event, expressed the commitment of the Ministry to partner with private sector initiatives as the Garden and Flower that Stratcomm Africa commenced a few years ago. “It is in sync with our domestic tourism initiative christened-Explore Ghana and the vision of the Ministry”, he noted.

He also commended the organisers for choosing ecotourism as the theme for this year’s show; “ecotourism is one of the fastest growing trends in the tourism industry worldwide and it represents a perfect balance between quality and quantity in tourism development and promotion”.

According to the organisers, this year’s edition of the show, which will be held at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park from the 8th to the 14th of September, will consist of an exhibition of various local and international flowers and garden accessories, workshops, a conference on ecotourism, and the 5 Ps of the UN SGDs and the second edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Awards. Other exciting features of the show include the Fashion extravaganza, party in the park, Jazz night and a bouquet of other interesting activities.